The historic market town of Farnham has a strong architectural identity, with Georgian and Victorian buildings that give it a distinctive character. Now, in the centre of the town, stands a new development called Kingsdown consisting of nine apartments, including this elegant penthouse. It’s the work of London-based real estate developer Nomad.
The firm’s founder and creative director Jack Simpson led the development and creative direction of the project. ‘Our goal was to create something that feels both timeless and unexpected,’ he says, adding, ‘the building had to feel as though it belonged. Interestingly, we’ve had people stop and ask if it’s a renovation, which is a huge compliment given that it’s actually new construction.’
The penthouse is quite literally the building’s crowning glory, an airy, tactile space with a serene feel. ‘With new builds, our challenge is always how to introduce a sense of depth and character,’ Jack explains. ‘Our starting point was the architecture itself. We began by thinking about proportion, light and how to make the apartment feel lived-in from day one, warm, layered, and inviting.’
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His intention was for the place not to feel like a typical new build, but to be ‘calm, elegant and completely unique. It had to surprise people, in the best way.’ The biggest creative challenge was making such a large space feel intimate, so Jack and his team worked carefully with scale, lighting and texture to infuse the spaces with a sense of warmth.
They kept the palette soft and tonal, using chalky plasters, natural oak, leathered stones and textured fabrics in muted tones. ‘It’s neutral, but never flat,’ he notes. ‘The aim was to create a backdrop that felt timeless, but with enough variation in texture to add warmth and interest throughout.’
As it was located in the roof of the building, the penthouse came with natural challenges including tricky ceiling heights and how to work with the architecture to create clean lines without losing character. ‘It wasn’t about intervention; it was about considered creation,’ Jack explains. ‘Every inch was thought through, from how light moves across the ceiling planes to how we could integrate mechanical systems without compromising form or flow.’
Key to grounding the space and injecting it with a sense of character were carefully chosen antiques, including a pair of commodes from Nick Jones, and works of art such as the Mary West piece in the hallway which adds movement, colour and softness.
Jack is particularly proud of the main bedroom suite which he calls ‘one of the best we’ve done, it’s expansive but still feels personal. The views are fantastic, and the bathroom is a particularly calm, serene space. It’s a great example of what we always aim for: something that feels luxurious without shouting about it.’ nomaddevelopments.com
